An investigation carried out by a Forensic of Quebec in the deaths of two volunteer firefighters of 2023 during a water rescue in Saint-Urbain, which., He concluded that his deaths were the result of a “chain of events.”
In a 39 -page report published on Wednesday, the Forens of Quebec Andrée Krnström revealed that significant deficiencies contributed to men’s deaths, including insufficient emergency planning, lack of training and inappropriate team for water interventions.
On May 1, 2023, Régis Lavoie, 55, a volunteer firefighter, and Christopher Lavoie, 23, training firefighter, drowned after addressing an amphibious ATV in an attempt to rescue a couple whose house was surrounded by waters that rise quickly from the nearly Gouffre river.
The river overflowed after significant rain and a thaw led to what Krnström described as a flood of 100 years.
The strong current hindered the two firefighters, who were not related, control the ATV, which began to derive. Finally they fell into the water and were swept.
As the heavy rains made the rivers swell in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, the video of the cell phones captured a recreational vehicle that floated through a river river in Baie-Saint-Paul, which., And collided with a bridge.
Krnström made several recommendations that highlight the need to improve the coordination of municipal resources and strengthen collaboration between municipalities within MRC itself, or regional county.
“The municipal civil security plan was not known and the deployment of municipal resources did not allow decisions that were appropriate for the urgency of the situation,” Krnström said.
With a lack of direction of the municipal authorities and the insufficient resources, the firefighters made the decision to try the rescue using a personal amphibious vehicle, which was not designed for use in rapid movement waters of that depth.
Redefine the hero’s culture, or the “need to rescue”
In his report, Krnström stressed the importance of providing a better training for firefighters to guarantee their safety during natural disasters, emphasizing the need to redefine the hero’s culture and its place within the curriculum for Quebec firefighters.
The testimony of experts listened to the past spring during the course of the public investigation of the Forensic determined that the only safe intervention in that fateful day would have been that the two men did not intervene.
At the time of rescue attempt, they carried a great fire extinction team, known as bunker costumes, but did not carry personal flotation devices. The available life vests, according to a 2024 report from the Quebec Health and Safety Board (CNST), did not adjust to be used on the fire extinguishing equipment.
A subsequent study by the CNEST, in a controlled environment, showed that firefighters who use full equipment during interventions in or near water in turn will become victims that need to rescue if they fall into the water.
“They wanted well, they wanted to go and help,” Krnström said about the two men, “but they didn’t Put your safety first “and may not realize the risks involved.
Krnström explained the “need to rescue” or the notion of heroes culture must be approached in a balanced and safe way.
The couple stranded in the house was finally transferred by plane at the end of the afternoon by a Sûreté du Québec helicopter.
The Écola National Des Pompiers of Quebec told CBC that he would not comment on the report and sent questions about the training to the Ministry of Public Security of Quebec.
Krnström, on the other hand, said that the school director, Stephen Valade, had been receptive to his comments during the investigation.
The change is welcome, but more support is needed
Meanwhile, the mayor of Saint-Urbain, Claudette Simard, welcomed the forensic report and said he was satisfied with his findings.
She said the report highlighted the challenges and needs of small municipalities such as Saint-Urbain when it comes to dealing with natural disasters.
“In the best case, I have 12 firefighters,” Simard said, adding that this is not enough.
He also said that adding more volunteer firefighters takes time to ensure that they obtain adequate training.
“He has to change,” he said, adding that he would not want the death of the two firefighters to have been in vain.
From the tragedy, he said, the city has reviewed its public security emergency plan and will supervise it annually to review any modification.
According to the forensic recommendations, the city will also have to rebuild its website to include an alert system to warn the emergency population and a page with tips and tools to be better prepared for future events.
In addition, Simard said the work was already underway with neighboring municipalities to see how they can share fire security resources and services to better respond to emergencies.
The prefect of the Regional Municipal County of Charlevoix, Patrick Lavoie, said that the objective is to have an intermunicipal service agreement in January 2026.
Simard said the city wants to implement all recommendations, but expects the provincial government to provide more support on the land and financial resources.
In an email to CBC, the Quebec Ministry of Public Security said it will review the report and analyze its recommendations, but pointed out several steps that had already taken to reduce the risk of disasters and strengthen the response capabilities to these events.
